"Chess the Hard Way" is the autobiography of Daniel Abraham Yanofsky, who was not only Canada's first chess grandmaster buit was Canada's only grandmaster until the modern era. His career is remarkable. He was from a remote Indian town in Central Canada where there were no chess masters. Almost invariably, strong chess players only develop in places where there are strong players.

Chess Training for Post-Beginners A Basic Course in Positional Understanding

Catalog Code: B0143NIC

After you have learned the rules of chess and developed some tactical abilities, how do you go from there? You are now ready to tackle basic issues of strategy, but what is the best way to improve and win more games?

Chess Training Pocket Book II 320 Key Positions for Players of All Levels

Catalog Code: B0015LV

This book sharpens your game through examining 320 of the most important chess positions taken from games over the last 120 years. Organized by difficulty to aid players in preparing for their own competitive games, the book features instructive explanations, solutions, and tips conveniently displayed on facing pages.

In the fifth volume of our openings tutorials we will be dealing with the Flank Openings. We make a start with the English Opening 1.c4. If Black replies in traditional fashion with 1...e5, this is a Reversed Sicilian. We have devoted four videos to the various systems, Lars Schandorff will take you through the Reversed Dragon, the English Four Knights, the Botvinnik System and alternatives.

On this first DVD in the Train Yourself in Chess series, International Master Andrew Martin breaks down the elements of chess so that the game becomes easier to understand. Players of all levels will find something of interest here, including many complete games from recent years.

Senior FIDE Trainer and International Master Andrew Martin chooses easy-to-understand key ideas to help you improve. Adopt his simple recommendations and you will find your game improving quicker than you ever thought possible.

CHESSDVDS.COM IN SPANISH - FOXY OPENINGS #86 - Dynamics of Strategy and How to Create a Plan - VOL. 2

Catalog Code: DVD0002ES

All the Basic tactical ideas are discussed fully, followed by a series of very recent illustrative games, where we will see all that ideas in action . On this dvd you will gain confidence in your ability to handle tactics when they crop up over the board and who knows, you may be able to land some tactical knockouts yourself!

This is one of the most instructional DVDs Roman has ever produced and is highly recommended for all players as well as coaches. The Russian School of Chess has produced, through a formula of methods and patterns, some of the greatest players of all time. In Part I, Roman explains, step-by-step, how to developed your pieces for the best possible future activity and coordination

It is Essential to know how to play and win your Endgames. In fact, the Endgames are more essential to learn than Openings. In Chapter 1 of this DVD, Susan will cover all the most important basic endgames for the novice player. She will teach you how to checkmate a lone King using a Queen, a Rook, two Bishops, a Knight and Bishop, or two Knights. In Chapter 2, Susan covers all the Basic Pawn Endgames, including the Square Rule, the Rook Pawn, Opposition, Geometry in chess, two extra Pawns, the Pawn Race, one side Queens first, King activity, and lots more!

The First volume of Ludek Pachman's great trilogy Complete Chess Strategy which first appeared in Czechoslovak and German. Planning the Pieces deals with the long term planning, handling and positioning of the individual chess pieces.

Book Description
Continuing his major work on strategy and tactics in modern chess, the internationalyl renowned Grandmaster, Ludek Pachman, now turns his attention to the play of the pawns and the achievement of control of the center squares.
Though the pawns are the weakest pieces in chess, their importance in determining the character of the attack (and defense) and the development of strategic play cannot be underestimated. Pawns are essential to the protection of important squares and pieces. They are the best means of blockading enemy pawns and when correctly deployed, their advance can open vital files and diagonals, thereby creating weaknesses in the opposite position. Despite its limited power, the pawn has one special advantage over other pieces in that it can be promoted when it reaches the eighth rank; a successful pawn advance can completely change the balance of power and the outcome of a game. Pawns have aptly been described as "the soul of chess."
Vital of chess mastery is a basic understanding of the importance of control of the center squares. The effectiveness of the pieces depend upon the strength of their position and center control creates a vital sapatial superiority.
The effective play of the pawns and center control have been touched upon on other works, but seldom with the insight and lucidity revealed in this second volume of Pachman's masterwork.

In each of these books the need for understanding is emphasized: there are too many variations for any memory to store. The player must understand the basic principles involved and the typical positions or maneuvers that can arise.

IM Bryan Smith grew up in Anchoarge, Alaska and now resides in Philadlephia, PA. His accomplishments include first in the 2008 National Chess Congress, first place in the 2008 King's Island Open and has won many other Grand Prix tournaments.

Alexander Alekhine a Russian World Chess Champion is often considered one of the greatest chess players ever. He became the fourth World Chess Champion by defeating José Raúl Capablanca, who was widely considered invincible. Alekhine is known for his fierce and imaginative attacking style, combined with great positional and endgame skill.

The DVD is divided into 4 parts and is presented by FM Alisa Melekhina with an honest look at how she is striving to improve her own ability when 'Converting Advantages' as this in area she has struggled with in the past.

How does the underdog catch the more experienced player? David gives advice on how to catch a higher rated player off balance. How to strategize to create problems for your opponent, giving them more opportunities to have something go wrong. Better players are better in part because they understand more patterns and more theory

GM Victor Mikhalevski is an extremely dangerous grandmaster, renowned for his sharp attacking skills and propensity for wild sacrifices. GM Mikhalevski is an experienced chess trainer and has held the grandmaster title for over 17 years, and in this Empire Chess DVD ¨Deadly Chess Attacks¨ he explains several of his most instructive victories by highlighting critical moments and providing detailed insight for viewers as to how a grandmaster approaches the thought process in chess.

M David Vigorito gives an overview of what to do when a game goes outside theory, beyond tactics and you are over the board and on your own. Over a series of three example games he delves into what the considerations are on the board and how to make decisions.

Defend Like a Super Grandmaster with Maxim Dlugy is an instructional DVD focusing on how to play in difficult and sometimes losing positions. Maxim Dlugy looks at some of the most important games in his career, outlining various techniques in saving bad positions or defending positions where your opponent has the initiative. All the key moments in the games are examined and after watching the video you are ready to save and even win bad positions.

This course features about 400 exercises with large number of pieces in play. All exercises are taken from actual games. Find the only way to avoid checkmate! This course is for beginners and club players.

The Fourth Edition of a Modern Classic When you are serious about improving your endgame skills, it is time for Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual. Perhaps the best known and most respected instructor of world class chessplayers, Mark Dvoretsky has produced a comprehensive work on the endgame that will reward players of all strengths. For those ready to immerse themselves in endgame theory, there may be no better manual available today. But, even if you do not play at master level, the book has been designed to help your endgame too. Basic theories and "must-know" concepts are highlighted in blue. You may skip the more complex analysis, focus on the text in blue, and still improve your endgame technique.

It is very important for the practical player to train his or her ability, understand when to rely on intuition, rules of thumb and more general positional considerations, when to try to solve problems by calculating variations to the end and how to manage time to avoid time pressure. With these goals in mind, the second edition of Dvoretsky's Analytical Manual delivers excellent, high quality training materials and many exercises.

Tigran Petrosian was a World Chess Champion and a true legend of the game. He was nicknamed "Iron Tigran" because of his incredible defensive skills that made him a formidable opponent who was virtually impossible to defeat. Petrosian was the master of restraint, prophylaxis and prevention. He could spot and defuse threats well before they were created, suck the life out an opponent's position and then seize a vice-like grip on the game. In this book, International Master Thomas Engqvist selects and examines his favourite Petrosian games, and shows us how we can all learn and improve our chess by studying Petrosian's masterpieces.

In this instructive and entertaining book, Grandmaster Neil McDonald studies in depth the key components of successful rule-breaking in chess. Drawing upon his own experience and using examples from modern grandmaster chess, McDonald examines how to avoid stereotypical thinking, how to exploit typical thinking patterns, and how to confuse and beat opponents with surprising ideas.

What separates the best chess players from the rest? What gives them the edge over their rivals? Chess legend Vladimir Kramnik believes it's their fighting skills and the ability to continuously find ways to keep a game alive. Colin Crouch agrees, and is fascinated that the world’s strongest players seem almost unbeatable, even when games appear sharp and double-edged.

I primarily ordered this because I was curious. I thought that it was going to be more or a "chess story/history" book, which in part it is. The dimensions of the book are 8 1/2" by 11" and the font is a little on the large side. Also the book is only 89 pages long. This is most likely because the book seems to be aimed and junior level players say beginners from approximately 10-14 years old.
The drawings are pleasantly done as far as I can tell all the chess positions that are part of the story or introductory part of the book have a "drawn" element to them. There are 68 test positions by my counting, and these are done with a more traditional chess font for the pieces, which is a good thing. Their are four test positions for almost every chapter or section, They are in given with increasing difficulty and they are labeled Rookie, Club Player, Club Champ and Expert. There are also about another 18 positions that are part of the stories and introductory sections of the chapters.
I would primarily suggest this book for parents, coaches and junior level players. For other players if you want to see and interesting and well done chess book and learn a little about chess history in a fun way then this book may also be for you as well.

This book explains piece values, strengths, weaknesses and simple traps like exposed check. It took my game from basic beginner to talented player in just a few months.
Highly recommend for all but master class or highly trained players.

I have read and owned other books by Alburt, including several in the Comprehensive Chess Course Series. I was interested in this title to see just how they would be condensing the other volumes. There is of course a lot of standard fair here. I am not impressed with the two chapters on the openings. They is some good advice but they are missing simple opening principles of king safety, active development of ones pieces, etc. As for typos I noticed one on one of the first diagrams I looked at. On page 68 the first example demonstrating the battery has 1. ...Rh1+ 2. Kxh1 Qxh2#. Well there is nothing on h2 so there is nothing for the Queen to take, i.e. (x). While this is only slightly annoying for me a new or beginning player might start getting confused. The other thing that I find annoying is the use of two different size board diagrams. Most of the diagrams are 1 5/8" square, but occasionally they switch to 1 1/8" squares for no apparent reason. Sometimes it seems like it is a device to save space but other times it wouldn't matter. As far as a space saving device it fails in it annoyance and distraction. Overall I give it a fair to good 3 stars for the breadth of information and the decent synthesis of it all. If you are a rated player of over say about 1600 there will be little new here for you unless you want a review of basics presented in perhaps new ways.

Why Sam Sloan and Ishi Press are redoing this book and in descriptive notation when the original abridged version is still available from Dover books for nearly half the price is a mystery and a shame. All the books that Ishi Press is "re-issuing" they are not updating the notation to any form of algebraic.

This book is not only interesting to read, but it also gave me new strategies in the game of chess. In the back of the book, it has a whole bunch of problems to do that comply with the lessons in the book. So not only does it show you the lessons, but it reinforces them with questions about them. There are very funny and interesting stories in this book, I loved the one about the man who caught his pants on fire and spooned soup into his lap while focusing on a chess position. Overall, this is an excellent book for the young, old and all fans of chess!

By Joel Johnson
Aug 23, 2012
What people are saying about this book:
===================================== Life Master Brian Wall (USCF: 2213) - 2 time Colorado State Champion =====================================
I think I've died and gone to heaven. Joel has a Fishing Pole chapter where I beat GM/s/IMs. also featuring games from many friends like Ted Doykos, Kevin Seidler, GB Salvio ( A Brazilian who plays Fishing Pole blitz and postal games ), Jack Young, Craig Thomson ( Goyathlay ) and many others. It also warms my heart when I see games from Ireland or my games in non-Fishing Pole chapters. Of course plenty of GM games plus plenty of original attacking theories straight from Joel Johnson's laboratory. As usual the games are arranged by themes with plenty of explanations and examples. This time it's even better because we get fan mail from the first book, Formation Attacks, from around the globe. This book is the easiest to sell I've ever handled. It's terrific to see Joel succeed with another instant classic.
Brian Wall
===================================== Randall Hoch (USCF: 1891) Texas =====================================
I am finding it as enjoyable as your first one. The games you have chosen are not only instructive, but also very entertaining. Your books have given me appreciation and motivation to play attacking chess from move 1. ... So I have to credit you with showing me the way! Best regards, Randy
===================================== Michael Stewart (USCF: 2267) Mississippi ===================================== I got your new book,outstanding work!!! Better than the first if that's possible. Both books are attacking classics,and should be on every chess players shelf.